Fifth-grader Hannah Workman has received her fair share of academic awards and honors in the short time she's been going to school.

Just by taking one look at her report card, it's clear the 11-year-old is a straight-A student.

"I do like school. I love it," Hannah said.

So when Hannah asked to be part of the gifted program at her Clay County elementary school, her mom, Jennifer Workman, said OK.

Hannah had to be tested.

"Hannah was so nervous," Jennifer said. "Every day she said, 'Did you get the results? Did you get the results?' She couldn't wait."

The results came in and Jennifer said Hannah scored exceptionally well. She said she was told that Hannah scored high enough for some students to get in, but not high enough for Hannah.

Video: Scores Based On Families' Income
"Because Hannah's daddy made a little more money than that and was considered middle class and a higher income, she would have to score a 130," Jennifer said.

"I was mad, I didn't think that was fair," Hannah said.

According to the school district, there are different standards for different students. If a student gets a free or reduced lunch or speaks limited English, the grading scale is different.

Hannah was so upset that she sat down and wrote a letter to the editor. It was printed the very next day in the Florida Times-Union.

"It's an insult. It's an insult to the low-income children that they're expected to score lower," Jennifer said.

"They should have one set score where it doesn't matter how much money your family makes or if you have fare-reduced lunch, if you get that score, no matter what, you can get in," Hannah said.

Apache

02-23-2010, 05:23 PM

So weed out the gifted for the sake of diversity...:rolleyes:

Gingersnap

02-23-2010, 05:24 PM

You go, girl! It's never to early to learn that all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others. ;)

Apache

02-23-2010, 05:29 PM

You go, girl! It's never to early to learn that all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others. ;)

She can't, Daddy makes too much....:mad:

NJCardFan

02-24-2010, 02:15 AM

Wow. What a life lesson. Because her father is an achiever you're going to punish the daughter. Holy fucking shit. I'd pull my kid out of that school faster than a rocket in a wind tunnel.

CaughtintheMiddle1990

02-24-2010, 03:01 AM

I was turned down by my first choice High School for the same exact reason as Hannah...My test scores were ''too high'', they wanted more median scores, so that kids from a poorer background could have a chance. That was a crushing disappointment and led to me fucking off my first year of HS out of pure disgust.

Speedy

02-24-2010, 05:28 AM

I had this exact arguement with Yvette over the "Robin Hood" program of funding schools here in Texas. One of the reasons I bought our house where I did was because of the school district. I wanted to be sure that our daughters went to the better more affluent schools. We had them in private schools up until they got into middle school. In middle school they started public school so they could play sports.

I learned that part of our money was going to go to a school where all of the poorer kids went. Their parents paid less taxes, the school had less money so it was not as good a school as where I was sending my girls. Yvette thought it was okay because most of the black families sent their kids to that school. I was more like, what is the fucking point of busting your ass, buying a house that costs you more in taxes if that money is not going to make for better schooling for your kids?

noonwitch

02-24-2010, 10:16 AM

I was turned down by my first choice High School for the same exact reason as Hannah...My test scores were ''too high'', they wanted more median scores, so that kids from a poorer background could have a chance. That was a crushing disappointment and led to me fucking off my first year of HS out of pure disgust.

A big city school district would want a few students with good grades, like yourself and Lisa Simpson, to keep the overall grade averages up so that they don't lose their state funding.

Rockntractor

02-24-2010, 10:39 AM

I was turned down by my first choice High School for the same exact reason as Hannah...My test scores were ''too high'', they wanted more median scores, so that kids from a poorer background could have a chance. That was a crushing disappointment and led to me fucking off my first year of HS out of pure disgust.

After that you continue to defend liberals in many of your posts, I hope you come around the rest of the way. This really worries me, how are our kids going to overcome their education?

Gingersnap

02-24-2010, 11:02 AM

After that you continue to defend liberals in many of your posts, I hope you come around the rest of the way. This really worries me, how are our kids going to overcome their education?

They will get enrolled in the School of Hard Knocks when they make it out of college. In real life you don't get an award for just showing up and to the winner go the spoils. It takes about 10 minutes to figure this out once you join the working world. ;)